Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1887-10-01

celient tlrcUr q FeSbr0NBt, n very old
kind of robbery, consisting in violertij
running against a persnr aid proitiug
from his confusion by picking hispock-
cts. Ee seldom frequents the races or
crowded stores, but may be seen at the
banks, where he watches persoas that
draw money and sees into which
pocket they put it. The Germans also
excel IN the co} az Yaajh, which consists
in protiting from the momcntary mat
tention of q cashier to make of with his
money.
THE Italian pickpocket knows his
extreme cleverncss. leisrcnstious of
his superiority, and he laughs at every
European polite force. He boldly re-
peAts his robberies at the same locality,
although aware that complaints have
awakened the attention Of the police.
Full of confidence In his art, and enjoy
ing his trinuiphs, he ends, however, by
falling into their hands. Ii he had the
prudence of the English ~piekpcck5t he
could defy all detectives of the uni
verse. He is the artist of ~pickpockets,
but, yielding to his southern ardor, he
is caught by his obstinate presence in
the same crowd. He never abandons a
~fayorite place until he has stolen all
that he eau possibly steal. In an inter-
national reunion Of pickpockets he
would be unanimously chosen presi-
dent. When he has thrown bis eye on
Il pocket, his address detics all compc-
! ton, BY Il movement so natural that
it escapes notice he feels of Il pocket,
weighs a purse, and appropriates it
with the greatest deNteritv. When en-
gagged at his work he often purposely
eNcitos the attention of his victim by Il
slight and apparently accidental touch,
which permits him to present his en-
cuses in a most amiable and gracious
manner, In point of dextcrity the
Spaniard is his rival. He operates UNI
ostentatiously, with supploness aud
lightness of hand, but his movements are
not stamped with that charming grace
the secret of which the Italian alone
possesses,
'1he pickpocket never wears a glove
on his right hand, and to conceal his
movements he frequently carries a
light oyercoat on his left arm. In
winter an overeoat on the arm would
~eXcite suspicion, and hence he carries
then a large handkerchief, which he
protends to unfold to put around his
neck. At churches, balls, cafes, thea
tiers, the hat takes the place of the
oyercoat and handkerchief. In the
slang of these malcfactors, he who
takes the purse is called the main
(hand). The aids are called RoNneS.
They are the pupils, the accompliccs,
They must place themselves between lie
mdiN and the crowd for the further Sc
curly of the former, Ii is their bust
ness to look out for the detectives and
to dispose of the victim in the way most
convenient for ie mdiN-whether by
Glowing and j~ostling him more or less
vigorously OF by attracting his atten-
ton from the operator. The latter, in
order to conceal his right hand, raises
his left arm, on which rests his over
coat, 50 that the oycrcoat covers the
pocket that he intends to explore.
What precautions, what dclicacy and
lightness Of touch he must employ, to
come off successfully, Two fingers
only are introduced into the pocket.
Lightly they raise the pocket-book,
which for an instant is held suspended
50 that its owner shall not feel the
sudden tightening Of his pocket. Al
this moment the nome, who is behind,
pushes the victim slightly, when The
latter, turning about, ceases to see and
to feel what is going IN. Ii the sun
to be stolen is large, the pickpockc
often mancuyer5 a long time with hi,
victim. He quits him, finds him again
and never abandous him until he ha
: cot his money, unless, his eagcrnes
| overcoming his ordinary prudence. h,
/ is detected. In this case the nome
} come to his aid and endeayor to &c
, him off before the arrival of tn
) police, in which effort they usual.
succeed. An experienced detectlv
: is not satisfied with arresting tn
main; he wants the accomplices, Thi
I is why the mam passes the stole
D articles to the first nome, who passc
: them to the second, and 50 on to tn
last of the band. This action is doubl
= advantageous to the main. Surprise
c by his victim, he has nothing on hin
Il and that permits him TO protest his il
: nocence with vehement indignation,
n the main is arrested by an incXpcr
enced agent of police, his protcstatior
Il are usually successful, for nothin
compromising is found on his person
and the agent is afraid of making
mistake
"iIow many robberies of this kin
e are committed in Paris daily"
! -Four or five hundred. At least tw,
= thirds of them 90 unpublished. Thel
is are ~pickpockcts everywhere. Acoup
l. of weeks ago, at the wedding of Il
IS niece of the Minister Of the Interior,
5, rascal in full dress and with the appea
h ance of a gentleman picked a dozt
pockets. BY the barest accident !
re was arrested. Two detectives that ha
pened to be passing saw him thro
er something into a cellar window.
S. pockct-book struck one Of the bars
t, the window and bounded back upt
$. the pavement. The fellow was arrest,
AZ and taken to the station, where 0v
IN 10000 francs were found upon his pc
son. In the cellar, which had not bet
Or used for a long time, were found mo
IS than $50 pocket-books.
ly ''rhc ruses these ~rascals often el
H. ploy are exceedingly shrewd. An O
lis p~ickpocket. with whom | have h
his some dealings, told me II story, n
lc- long ago, about a magistrate in
ne provinces who thought himself ali
a. - 80 ,,t & -